New Dodge Grand Caravan

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You mean the front passenger door? If the rear passenger door, flick the little kiddie switch to prevent it from being opened from the inside. I'd bet there was a NHTSA prohibition from making the passenger (front) door inoperable from the inside. BICBW.

Are the kids over 12 yrs old? If not - into the back they go.

You need a bunch of electronics to defeat the new "smart key" system. There are key and key less adapters for such things. You can find info on those bypass kits and adding keyless entry on places like

Thanks for the prompt responce.

"Tom Ruta"

| >It has a manual key lock on the driver side and read lift door. Is it | >possible to install a key lock on the passenger door and if so how | >complicated/expensive is the process? Parts? Labor? | | You mean the front passenger door? If the rear passenger door, flick | the little kiddie switch to prevent it from being opened from the | inside. I'd bet there was a NHTSA prohibition from making the | passenger (front) door inoperable from the inside. BICBW.

No I'm talking about the outside access key lock to the front passenger door. (There is not one on this van) Currently the only way to unlock this from the outside is with the remote control access or by entering the van from the driver's side and using the unlock button.

The problem comes when there is only one adult available and we park on the street. Under this condition the options are a) kids are either left waiting on the sidewalk b) herded into the street which is even less desirable c) we find someplace else to park which is often as not impractical.

The ideal solution is to install a manual key lock on the passenger door. The question is: can this be done and how complicated/expensive is the upgrade?

| >My concern is that my daughters often borrow the van for transporting my | >grand kids. ... | | Are the kids over 12 yrs old? If not - into the back they go.

Not an issue yet. These rug rats are all under 5 y.o. They ride in the back of the bus.

| >An alternative is to find cheaper remote key controls but I'd still like to | >have a key lock on the passenger door. | >

| >I'm interested in installing a remote start function. Any recommendations | >would be appreciated. | | You need a bunch of electronics to defeat the new "smart key" system. | There are key and key less adapters for such things. You can find | info on those bypass kits and adding keyless entry on places like |

Thanks, I'm on the way out right now (honey do list) and will take a look when I get back.

| | >I'm interested in installing a remote start function. Any | | >recommendations would be appreciated. | | | | You need a bunch of electronics to defeat the new "smart key". | | system. There are key and key less adapters for such things. You | | can find info on those bypass kits and adding keyless entry on | | >places like | |

| | Thanks, I'm on the way out right now (honey do list) and will take a | look when I get back.

Yes, this is a problem as you describe. I've seen it on GM cars too. The neighbor's 2002 Buick LeSabre doesn't have a external key/lock cylinder on the passenger door, nor does my Wife's 2003 Dodge Stratus or my 2004 Chrysler Sebring. Car manufacturers need to put the key lock cylinder back...you cite one very good safety reason as to why. I'm sure it was a cost cutting thing. My wife is concerned that should the driver lock freeze in the winter in a downtown parking garage, she's stuck with no alternative way to get into the car.

As to cost...I bet it would be hundreds of dollars to add it afterwards (probably a $20 cost during manufacturing), if you can even get a door handle for that side of the car that will accommodate the cylinder any more!

The reasons NOT to buy a new car just keep on stackin' up, don't they.

DS

Seriously though, especially for people that do aftermarket work. A lot of the new GM cars you have to keep the stock radio in the car, and silly things like that.

I'll keep my truck until it dies, and when it does, I'll rebuild it.

Yep, first aluminum oil pans with easily stripped threads and now this... :-) What'll they think of next?

Matt

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REALLY??? There's no outside lock for that door?? There is on our 03 ES. Weird...

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Then they should exit from the rear passenger sliding door - which can be "kid proofed".

"Tom Ruta"

| .. | >No I'm talking about the outside access key lock to the front passenger | >door. (There is not one on this van) Currently the only way to unlock this | >from the outside is with the remote control access or by entering the van | >from the driver's side and using the unlock button. | | REALLY??? There's no outside lock for that door?? There is on our 03 | ES. Weird...

My feeling exactly. Seems some bean counting marketing type assumed that the $130.00 remote key access would be sufficient except that not all carry the remote key. | >

| ... | >Not an issue yet. These rug rats are all under 5 y.o. They ride in the | >back of the bus. | >

| | Then they should exit from the rear passenger sliding door - which can | be "kid proofed".

Where they sit or exit/enter is not the problem.

The problem is that when there is only one adult available and there is only the standard key available the only access lock that can be opened is the driver's door. When parallel parking this door is on the street side.

Under these conditions either the kids are left to their own devices on the curb or follow the adult into oncoming traffic. Neither option is safe/acceptable.

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That is simply too weird for words - I'll have to look at the dealer's next time I'm there. BTW, you CAN get extra remotes for cheap on eBay etc. But that does not really address the issue, I know.

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I'm with you now. Sorry.

I hear ya. Guess it is time to look for aftermarket lock kits.

| >My feeling exactly. Seems some bean counting marketing type assumed that | >the $130.00 remote key access would be sufficient except that not all carry | >the remote key. | | That is simply too weird for words - I'll have to look at the dealer's | next time I'm there. BTW, you CAN get extra remotes for cheap on eBay | etc. But that does not really address the issue, I know.

Not a half bad solution but the stuff I've found to buy has not been 'quite' compatable. Any recommendations on how to source compatable remotes?

| >The problem is that when there is only one adult available and there is only | >the standard key available the only access lock that can be opened is the | >driver's door. When parallel parking this door is on the street side. | >

| | I'm with you now. Sorry. | | >Under these conditions either the kids are left to their own devices on the | >curb or follow the adult into oncoming traffic. Neither option is | >safe/acceptable. | | I hear ya. Guess it is time to look for aftermarket lock kits.

I've asked the dealer and so far have not gotten a quote on buying the hardware. Likely an arm and a leg but better for me to give up an economic arm/leg than to have one of my grand kids hurt for the lack of the right hardware.

I know some vehicles can be configured so if you open / unlock one door from the outside, all the doors unlock. If this is possible in your grand caravan, might it be possible to unlock the liftgate, which would unlock all the doors. So then you are only going to the back and you can still keep an eye on the kids.

"Bill 2" | | "Not Me"

| > We have a new G caravan with lots of bells etc. | >

| > It has a manual key lock on the driver side and read lift door. Is it | > possible to install a key lock on the passenger door and if so how | > complicated/expensive is the process? Parts? Labor? | >

| > My concern is that my daughters often borrow the van for transporting my | > grand kids. They have only the standard key (no remote) and if they are | > parallel parked someone has to enter the traffic side to unlock and this | > puts the grand kids on the side walk with no one to monitor them. They | are well behaved (what else would a proud grand pa claim) but kids are kids | and their moms' are not at all happy with the prospect of having to deal with | > the risk. | >

| > An alternative is to find cheaper remote key controls but I'd still like | to have a key lock on the passenger door. | >

| > I'm interested in installing a remote start function. Any recommendations | > would be appreciated. | >

| > Regards | >

| > reply to the news group or to brother_rabbit @ hotmail.com (remove spaces | > to reply direct) | | I know some vehicles can be configured so if you open / unlock one door from | the outside, all the doors unlock. If this is possible in your grand | caravan, might it be possible to unlock the liftgate, which would unlock all | the doors. So then you are only going to the back and you can still keep an | eye on the kids.

Thank for the sugestion and good idea but on this van as it is configured opening the read door does not allow one to unlock the side doors.

The parts for a key lock on the RH side *do* exist; this van is sold in countries where the RH side is the driver's side; it's sold in the UK, Australia, and Japan. In those countries, whether or not the LH (passenger, over there) door has a key lock, the RH (driver, over there) door will have one. So though it may be a hassle, you can override DaimlerChrysler's idiocy on this by ordering 1ea RH door handle assembly,

1ea lock cylinder assembly, 1ea all link rods that may exist, and if you're particularly unlucky, 1ea door latch mechanism assembly (though I'd hope only one latch would be used, with an attachment point for a link rod that may or may not be used).

That said, it also strikes me that less-fancy versions of your van probably would not have remote locking and therefore might have key locks on both sides. Perhaps all you need is parts from a lower-trim Voyager or somesuch.

DS

"Daniel J. Stern" | | The parts for a key lock on the RH side *do* exist; this van is sold in | countries where the RH side is the driver's side; it's sold in the UK, | Australia, and Japan. In those countries, whether or not the LH | (passenger, over there) door has a key lock, the RH (driver, over there) | door will have one. So though it may be a hassle, you can override | DaimlerChrysler's idiocy on this by ordering 1ea RH door handle assembly, | 1ea lock cylinder assembly, 1ea all link rods that may exist, and if | you're particularly unlucky, 1ea door latch mechanism assembly (though I'd | hope only one latch would be used, with an attachment point for a link rod | that may or may not be used). | | That said, it also strikes me that less-fancy versions of your van | probably would not have remote locking and therefore might have key locks | on both sides. Perhaps all you need is parts from a lower-trim Voyager or | somesuch.

I agree and it's a logical conclusion which I reached early on, however ... none of the dealer's I contacted had in stock or seem to know how to order the necessary parts to accomplish this mechanical correction.

Grrr.. This is the kind of situation that really burns me. Is it much more money to place a manual lock on the passenger side? Is it that much more work to have the remote unlock the driver side with one short press of the button and have the remote unlock ALL the locks with a continual press of the unlock button?

I feel your pain Not Me and I think if you really dig into the internet you can find the pieces you need even if you have to correspond to a foreign dealership. I wish you luck on this and hope that somewhere.. hopefully.. an engineer in the car making business slaps his head and says 'why didn't I think of that?'

Ric